Balsamic and Herb Quinoa Salad

"Serve this cold salad as a delicious summer side to your favorite grilled meat or try it alone as a great light lunch. I have been experimenting a lot with quinoa recently, and this is by far my favorite recipe. It's such a nice, healthy alternative to pasta and rice!"

Directions

Bring 2 cups water, quinoa, and bouillon granules to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Spread quinoa onto a baking sheet and refrigerate until cooled, about 30 minutes. Rinse saucepan.

Place lima beans into the saucepan and add enough water to cover beans by 1 inch; season with salt and pepper. Cover saucepan with a lid and bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until beans are cooked through but still tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain water and rinse beans under cold water to stop the cooking process; refrigerate until cool, about 10 minutes.

Cook and stir almonds in a skillet over medium heat until toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and cool almonds to room temperature, about 5 minutes.

Mix quinoa, lima beans, almonds, tomatoes, scallions, and mozzarella cheese together in a large bowl.

Whisk vinegar, almond oil, olive oil, Italian seasoning, basil, garlic, and salt together in a bowl until smooth; pour over quinoa mixture and stir to coat.

Footnotes

Quinoa novices but trying to eat healthy grains more. This was a good introduction. Complex but subtle taste. I quartered grape tomatoes because I had extra-BOGO week at the store. I think 2 tsp basil+ 2 tsp Italian was overkill and will opt for 2 tsp total.

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.